Serendip Belt: History

5370AD The Grand Deal

Eventually, public disquiet over the huge unaccountable power of the Serendip Belt Corp. forced the Board to make far-reaching changes to the structure of the corporation. They entered into a long period of negotiation with the governments of the Belt, and eventually a grand deal was struck.

The measure which transferred interworld authorities to the control of SBC was hotly disputed by those smaller habitats that had representation on the Councils, but were not to become SBC shareholders. For some years a parallel set of interworld authorities persisted. Known collectively as the “Seelie Courts”, these authorities lacked sufficient enforcement capability to be taken seriously, and eventually vanished into obscurity.

The minor habitats couldn’t challenge the de facto system-wide government created by the Grand Deal. A far bigger threat was posed by the enormous payments required to former SBC shareholders.

5400AD Homestead Rules amended to raise funds

Faced with increasing difficulty paying off the former shareholders, the principal habitats took action. The Prime Claims Court declared the homestead limit to be reduced from 35km to 25km. The vast amount of real estate that this measure took from the homesteaders was transferred to the trust of the Commerce Council.

Homesteaders kept their newly reduced homestead entitlement, and the rest was given out to former SBC shareholders in lieu of cash payments. The Homesteaders’ Unions protested vigorously, but they were ignored. Most of the affected homesteaders were the large ‘barons’ who ran small asteroids as their own personal fiefdoms. Public support for them in the big habitats was therefore limited.

5409AD Serendip Belt buys the C-Jammer

The corporation’s headquarters were moved to the C-Jammer in this year. The move was accompanied by a huge refit of the ageing vessel. The ancient colony ship remains the Belt’s centre of government to this day.

5414AD Homesteaders’ Rights Army Founded

Still faced with mounting payments to former shareholders, the principal habitats forced another reduction of the homestead limit, from 25km to 20km. This time honest, hard working smallholders were hit, as well as local mini-dictators. The Homesteaders’ Unions rejected the measure out of hand, and declared that homesteaders would defend their rightful property. The Homesteaders’ Rights Army was created by maverick miner Jay Fissiontech. Within a year Fissiontech’s army had swelled to over 100,000. Troops were taught how to fight a guerrilla war.